What I'm Loving Now

This post is all about what I'm loving these days. Spring is literally a breath of fresh air and feels like such an appropriate time for change and beginning creative endeavors, so I wanted to share some of the things I've just gotta have during this beautiful season. 

1. Outdoor Yoga. I'm almost positive I've posted about this before, but it is worth sharing again. One of my absolute favorite things about the warming weather is taking my yoga practice outside. I trade the spicy smells of incense for the smell of the river on the wind, my wall tapestries for the clouds in the sky and the low glow of candle light for nourishing sunlight! Being outside transforms my practice and makes it new again. 

2. Culottes. I hadn't worn a pair of culottes in years, and then my sister Sara gave me a pair. My love was rekindled. So comfortable, breezy and cute with a tee shirt or tank top, culottes are a major win for me right now. Maybe not suitable for all occasions though...I wore mine (which are soft knit cotton) to a yoga class I went to in Dublin, and lets just say my classmates got a peek of my legs ALL THE WAY UP TO MY BUTT every time we did an inversion pose. They are probably best left off the yoga matt.

3. Dried mission figs. Although these are even better if you can get them fresh, I like the convenience and lasting power of a bag of dried (one 16 oz. bag usually lasts me around 3 weeks). These flavorful babies provide plenty of health befits and go well with my morning bowl of oatmeal. I buy the organic black mission figs at MaMa Jean's Market. 

4. Raspberry Leaf Tea. This is my go to tea these days. Tasty hot or iced, it is refreshing and strengthens the female system. I love the organic Traditional Medicinals brand. 

Penny Marie

5. The Hound. Okay, I love this dog everyday 365, but c'mon! How cute is she? I had to share this picture. She is seriously the sweetest, most snuggly dog ever. And I totally love her. 

That wraps up my little post for the day! I'm headed to the market now to buy some fruit. I'll be back soon!

~ Love & Light ~

Spring Things

Spring fireplace mantel.

If you've noticed I haven't been blogging as much lately, you would be right. Spring is in the air and I have been keeping myself busy around the house and in the yard. I think we were all feeling a little stir crazy and it has been so nice to open the windows and get outside! 

Front door plaque. 

I spent the day of the Spring Equinox packing away all traces of winter and bringing out the spring decorations. You guys know from past posts how much I love celebrating the seasons and I always look forward to changing up the energy at Chigger Chalet on the Solstices. 

Silk flowers in a basket from Thailand.

I won't do most of my planting in the gardens until Mother's Day weekend (a tradition of mine) but I am cleaning up the herb and flower beds and we are putting in a vegetable garden this year. Our friend down the road got himself a truck load of zoodoo from the Dickerson Park Zoo, and had enough to spare a 4x16 foot bed for our yard! 

Zoodoo to become our vegetable garden.

I also made several spring planters for the front stoop and one for the back deck.

Spring planter.

Flowers are popping up from residents past...

Spring beauties!

The park across the river is buzzing with the sounds of children playing, dogs barking and people having fun. We have seen a lot of people kayaking and canoeing this past week too.

Spring planter on the deck, and a couple picnicking at the river bank.

Mark has been helping with the spring projects too. After loathing the wood paneling in the entryway every time I walked through the front door, we finally decided to do something about it! Mark painted the room a lovely pale gray over the weekend. The color is called woodsmoke by Eddie Bauer.

Wood paneling in the entryway.

We haven't added the finishing touches to the space (like new light switch plates, a new ceiling lamp and a storage bench) but I will post a picture when we have it finished. Just the fresh paint has changed the room dramatically and makes it feel much bigger than before.

New woodsmoke paint.

So, that's what we have been up to over here on the Finley. Soon the Farmers Market will be open, the festival season will be upon us and our calendars will be overflowing with things to do! I'll be sure to share my experiences with you! 

~ Love & Light ~

How The Heck DO You Get These Things To Come Off?

Recently I revealed that I got my very first manicure. It was a fun experience and I really liked the results. I sprung for the gel manicure and it was chip free and shiny. They lasted approximately 12 days before my nails had just grown out too much and the polish started lifting at the edges. So almost two full weeks. Not bad.


Now here's the thing. Removing gel nails is a bit more involved than wiping away normal polish. I was determined not to go back to the salon to have my nails returned to natural, so I did a little research, and this is what I found.


To remove gel nails applied to your own nails...not acrylic nails...you will need the following.

1. a towel to work on
2. 100% acetone polish remover
3. cotton balls
4. aluminum foil
5. a plastic cup
6. a rough nail file
7. cuticle oil (optional)


Before you begin, put 5 cotton balls in the plastic cup, then soak them in polish remover, and set aside. You will also want to pull apart 5 pieces of aluminum foil large enough to wrap around your finger while holding a cotton ball on your nail.

Supplies needed to remove gel nails.

~ The first thing you'll need to do is buff the top layer of the gel manicure with the emery board. The idea is to make cracks in the gel for the acetone to seep into.

Buffing my nails.

~ Next, take a cotton ball from the plastic cup, place it on a nail, and then wrap it with a strip of foil. Repeat on your other four fingers. Only do one hand at a time.

Nails covered with cotton balls and wrapped in foil.

~ Let the acetone do its thing for ten minutes. Then remove the foil. Don't unwrap the foil, just pull them off.

Nails after soaking.

My nails still had the gel on them, but it had been softened and peeled back.

~ The last thing I did was to pull/scrape the soft gel off my nails, giving each nail a final swipe with a polish soaked cotton ball once the gel was off, and finishing with a little cuticle oil. Then repeat the whole process on the other hand!

Clean nails. Gel free.

I'd like to say my nails are as good as new, but they are rough feeling, like sandpaper. I'm sure after a week or so they will smooth out. They don't look bad, but it definitely confirms my plans to only get my nails done a few times a year. Gel nails, anyway.

So that's it! No need to pay the salon to remove your fancy gel polish, just do it at home the same way they would do it at the salon. 

~ Love & Light ~

French Women For All Seasons

#Secrets #Recipes #Pleasure

I am currently reading French Women For All Seasons by Mireille Guiliano. This book is filled with secrets, recipes and little known facts about French women and their lifestyle. I picked this one up because I am a bit of a Francophile and I love reading books whose subject matter is divided up into seasons, as this one is. So far, this book has been a pleasure to read.

Visiting The Musée du Louvre 2012.

Mark and I spent a short time in Paris in 2012. Those memories are filled with amazing art, great food, romance, and will last a lifetime. 

Street art in Paris 2012.

Italian in France 2012.

To get your own dose of the French life, pick up French Women For All Seasons!

~ Amore et de Lumière ~

Crystal Nails In Oz

I'm 35 years old, and until last week, I had never had a professional manicure! I have good nails and don't wear polish, so doing them myself has always been easy. Enter my pal Rcena, who gets her nails done regularly. The last few times we have hung out, I found myself starring at her perfectly shaped and colored nails. She told me that she gets the gel nails and that they last a long time and don't chip. I filed this information away in my "maybe one day" folder and forgot about it.


My sister Sara and her family made a last minute decision to come to town for a visit this past Friday. For some reason I got the idea stuck in my head that I should get a gel nail manicure before we went to visit them at my mom's house that night. I didn't want to drive in to Springfield though (where Rcena gets her nails done), so I looked for a place in Ozark. There are several salons that do nails in town, but I chose a place called Crystal Nails. Randomly.

Crystal Nails Salon

The first thing I noticed when I walked through the door was the intense smell of acetone. If you don't like the smell of finger nail polish, I'm afraid you wouldn't last a second! After a few minutes I adjusted (or was high off the fumes and forgot about it). The salon is clean; the staff was nice, and they had me choose my color and began the manicure right away. I had called to make an appointment, but walk-ins are welcome too. Half an hour later my nail technician, Cam, had finished, and I was really happy with the look. She charged $25 (gel nails are considered a deluxe manicure) and I felt it was a fair price.

I probably won't be getting manicures regularly, but a few times a year when I'm feelin' fancy I will definitely pop by Crystal Nails to get the royal treatment. I would recommend their services to anyone looking for a manicure or pedicure!

My gel nails by Crystal Nails in Ozark.

Crystal Nails

1742 s. 20th st.

Ozark, MO. 65721

417-485-4456

~ Love & Light ~

World Of Magic: Exploration #32

Exploration #32


WORLD OF MAGIC


Collect objects for their potential magic quality. Attach a story to them, or create a fictitious history about the object.

Mirage perfume.

Magic perfume, when worn causes all who smell you to see you as the most beautiful person in the world. Spray with caution.

Gypsy coin necklace.

Magic gypsy coins. When worn or carried on your person you become invisible! These are the only invisibility coins known to exist.

Witch Bottle for psychic powers.

Magic herbs, when inhaled open the Third Eye and enhance psychic abilities. The herbs in this bottle were collected from all over the world in places of magic.

The Seeing Stone

Magic crystal that allows one to see into the future. Place the crystal under your pillow at night to have visions of the future during your sleep. This crystal belonged to a Tibetan Shaman who lived high in the Himalayan mountains.

Me in my magical sweater from Ireland. When I wear it I am happy!

~ Love & Light ~

Leanne Retana Shares Her Health And Beauty Secrets

I get questions in my inbox quite a bit from people asking me about herbs, nutrition, and beauty tips. So, I had an idea the other day that I am going to try. I'll use the blog to share my answers with you too!


What is your ultimate stress relief?

I would have to say sleep. Nothing resets your mood like a good night's sleep or a power nap.


The one song that gets you moving without fail?

I really need to spend more time on workout soundtracks! But one song that always motivates me to keep going is Girl On Fire by Alicia Keys.


Do you do any other exercise besides yoga?

Yes! I have a stationary bike that I ride, free weights for arm days, resistance band workouts and I like to take the dog to the park to run around.


What is your favorite face moisturizer?

Right now I am using Living Libations Best Skin Ever in Rose. This oil is the best quality and super nourishing. I consider it food for my skin. I have also been using First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. This cream is ultra hydrating to get me through the dry cold winters in Oz. Bonus: It is unscented and I can use it on my face and my body!


What is your must have herbal remedy for winter?

Osha root tincture. For me, it is a miracle in a bottle. I use a dropperful when I have a sore or scratchy throat, a cold or the flu!


Ok, guys! Those are the latest questions I've gotten. If you have a question you would like to see answered in a future post, drop by my Facebook page or leave a question in the comments here.

Leanne at Loch Leane in Ireland.

~ Love & Light ~